Ultra Marathon Swimmer Madi Armstrong Creates Documentary; Will Swim English Channel for Cancer Research
When Madi Armstrong was in the water, she knew her father was not far away.
Steve Armstrong was either in the stands or in the water, too.
Now when Madi looks up, Steve isn’t alongside her, at least not in the physical sense. Steve died last August after a battle with cancer. Since the water was so special to the Armstrong family, Madisyn decided to embrace the water as she raised money for cancer research. She has put together a documentary and will also participate in an open water swim to raise money for Cure Cancer Australia – every cent of it.
“My dad was someone who naturally brought people together,” Madi told Swimming World. “Seeing a community come together in his memory, united by hope and a shared purpose, feels like such a beautiful reflection of who he was. He showed me what real strength looks like. Throughout his cancer journey, he fought so hard, physically and mentally, even when the easiest thing would have been to give up. No matter how difficult things became, he remained incredibly positive and optimistic and that’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Madi Armstrong and her father, Steve.
The documentary will help everyone who sees it carry something about Steve.
“The documentary tells the story of my dad and me through his cancer journey, the role he played in my swimming career and in shaping the person I am, and how the sport of swimming and the incredible community around it have carried me through the hardest time of my life. It also follows how I’m now using swimming as a way to raise money for a cure and honour dad’s legacy,” Madi said. “What I’m most proud of is that it’s authentic. We wanted people to see the reality of what cancer does to a family, but also the incredible strength, love and community that can come from it.
“If sharing our story encourages even one person to support cancer research and bring us one step closer to a cure, cherish time with their loved ones, or believe they’re capable of overcoming something they never thought they could, then it’s done exactly what we hoped.”
That was how Steve carried himself – putting others first.
“One of the things I admired most about dad was that he always wanted to help other people,” she said. “He was the kind of person who would drop everything for someone else without expecting anything in return. I know he would absolutely love that this event isn’t just about remembering him—it’s about helping other families. I think that’s the greatest way I can honour him. By bringing people together, and turning the pain of losing him into something that has the potential to change lives.
“I know he would be incredibly proud of that.”
While Madi is also proud of the event, it obviously comes with a flood of emotions.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling at times,” she said. “I would do anything to not be in this position and to still have my dad here, but I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of something so special. Working alongside my amazing JAYD Swimwear family to bring this event to life has been such a beautiful experience and being able to honour my dad while raising money for cancer research is something I’m incredibly proud of. If I can contribute, in even a small way, to a future where fewer little girls have to lose their dad to cancer, then that’s the best part of all.”
Madi feels so strongly because her bond was so close with Steve.
“My dad was my biggest supporter, my hero, the heart of our family and someone I looked up to in every stage of my life,” she said. “He was the first person I called when something exciting happened, the one who always knew exactly what to say when things weren’t going to plan, and the person who believed in me long before I believed in myself.”
Steve was one of the few to encourage Madi’s ultra marathon swimming career, which leads to the other fundraiser. Madi plans to swim the English Channel to continue raising money and awareness.
“When I first got into ultra marathon swimming, everyone around me though I was crazy. But my dad told me that I had something special and that there weren’t a lot of people in the world that could do what I do, so taking on the English Channel feels especially meaningful. It’s something we dreamed about together, and although he won’t be beside me in the way we imagined, I’ll be carrying him with me every stroke.
“This year is really about bringing everyone together for the first time and creating something special in dad’s memory. But my hope is that it grows into a tradition that people look forward to each year—not just as a swim, but as a community coming together to support life-saving cancer research. … I’d love to see this become a lasting part of dad’s legacy.”
English Channel fundraiser:
